The Times of Israel is liveblogging Friday’s events as they unfold.
Trump lawyer says he will appeal verdict ‘as soon as we can’
Donald Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche says the real estate mogul will appeal his guilty verdict after becoming the first former US president ever convicted of a crime in his hush money trial.
Blanche indicates on CNN that Trump would push forward with post-trial motions and “if that is not successful, then as soon as we can appeal we will. And the process in New York is there’s a sentencing, and then we appeal from there.”
Trump could still vote for himself after New York conviction if he’s not in prison on Election Day
Donald Trump may be convicted of a felony and reside in Florida, a state notorious for restricting the voting rights of people with felony convictions. But he can still vote as long as he stays out of prison in New York state.
That’s because Florida defers to other states’ disenfranchisement rules for residents convicted of out-of-state felonies. In Trump’s case, New York law only removes the right to vote for people convicted of felonies when they’re incarcerated. Once they’re out of prison, their rights are automatically restored, even if they’re on parole, per a 2021 law passed by the state’s Democratic legislature.
“If a Floridian’s voting rights are restored in the state of conviction, they are restored under Florida law,” Blair Bowie of the Campaign Legal Center writes in a post explaining the state of law, noting that people without Trump’s legal resources are often confused by Florida’s complex rules.
So as long as Trump isn’t sent to prison, he can vote for himself in Florida in November’s election.
Trump was convicted earlier today of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
A lifelong New Yorker, Trump established residency in Florida in 2019, while he was in the White House.
Even if he is elected president again, Trump will not be able to pardon himself of state charges in New York. The president’s pardon power applies only to federal crimes.
Biden campaign: Trump verdict shows ‘no one above law’; GOP speaker: ‘A shameful day in US history’
Donald Trump’s conviction by a New York court shows that “no one is above the law”, his election rival President Joe Biden’s campaign says.
“In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law,” Biden-Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler says in a statement.
“But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box.”
Republican US House Speaker Mike Johnson describes Trump’s conviction on all charges in his hush money case Thursday as “shameful.”
“Today is a shameful day in American history. Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon. This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one,” he says in a statement.
Trump trial judge sets sentencing for July 11
Donald Trump’s sentencing for falsifying business records will take place on July 11, the judge who presided over the trial says.
Judge Juan Merchan set sentencing for 10:00 am local time on July 11, just days ahead of the Republican convention where Trump is expected to be named the party’s presidential nominee.
‘Real verdict’ will be November 5 election, Trump says, blasting ‘Soros-backed DA’
Former president Donald Trump says the “real verdict” would be the US election in November after a New York jury convicted him on all charges in his hush money case on Thursday.
“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be November 5, by the people. And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here,” Trump says as he leaves the court.
“I’m a very innocent man, and it’s OK. I’m fighting for our country. I’m fighting for our constitution.”
He also blames the “Soros-backed DA,” referring to District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
George Soros, the Jewish progressive megadonor, is a frequent target of the right and of antisemitic conspiracy theories.
טראמפ בצאתו מבית המשפט: "המשפט מכור, השופט מוטה, העם יכריע בבחירות"; גזר הדין – ב-11 ביולי@itamargalit pic.twitter.com/k8odWbVHj1
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 30, 2024
Likud MK accuses hostage’s brother of exploiting plight of the abducted for political gain
Likud MK Hanoch Milwidsky accuses Dani Elgarat of exploiting the plight of his brother Itzik who is being held hostage in Gaza for political gain.
Appearing on a Kan public broadcaster panel along with Elgarat, Milwidsky says the hostage’s brother is wrongly smearing the Israeli government abroad.
“You’re engaging in politics on the backs of the hostages,” Elgarat tells Milwidsky in response.
“No, you’re the one engaging in politics on the backs of the hostages. You’re exploiting the horrible human tragedy of the hostages, you’re exploiting the situation of your brother and you’re advancing a political agenda. That’s exactly what you’re doing,” Milwidsky responds as the Kan anchors try to calm the sides down.
תצפו, תרתחו ותעיפו את זה לכל עבר!
בראיון שנערך היום בערוץ 33
עם @elgarat_dani, הטיח בו ח"כ מילביצקי את הדברים שאתם רואים ושומעים כאן.
אני רועד מכעס וזעם, פיזית.
הלב תיכף יוצא מהחזה.
גם אם זה הדבר האחרון שתעשו בחייכם – שתפו את החרפה התת אנושית הזו. תייגו תקשורת ופוליטיקה. תודה. pic.twitter.com/4KTniLAPld— סשימי תבורי ????️ (@Guitaryahu) May 30, 2024
First-ever convicted president: Jury finds Trump guilty on all counts in hush money trial
Donald Trump has become the first US president to be convicted of a crime after a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.
After deliberations over two days, the 12-member jury announced it had found Trump guilty on all 34 counts he faced. Unanimity was required for any verdict.
Trump watched the jurors dispassionately as they were polled to confirm the guilty verdict.
The verdict plunges the United States into unexplored territory ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election, when Trump, the Republican candidate, will try to win the White House back from Democratic President Joe Biden.
Trump, 77, has denied wrongdoing and is expected to appeal.
He faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison, though others convicted of that crime often receive shorter sentences, fines or probation. Incarceration would not prevent him from campaigning, or taking office if he were to win.
The jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business documents after sitting through a five-week trial that featured explicit testimony from porn star Stormy Daniels about a sexual encounter she says she had with Trump in 2006 while he was married to his current wife Melania. Trump denies ever having sex with Daniels.